The reasons your period is irregular (spotty, too heavy, too long, too light, nonexistent) may be easily remedied! Here are six things that cause irregular menstrual cycles for women, plus tips on regulating your menstrual cycle. But remember: if your period hasn’t shown up for months and you’re not pregnant, or if you’re experiencing irregular or odd-colored spotty periods, you need to talk to your family doctor or a gynecologist.
“In man, the shedding of blood is always associated with injury, disease, or death,” said Dr Estelle Ramey. “Only the female half of humanity was seen to have the magical ability to bleed profusely and still rise phoenix-like each month from the gore.”
Your period is a wonderful thing, my friends…even if it doesn’t always seem like it! If you’re really struggling to regulate your cycle, you might want to read What You Must Know About Women’s Hormones: Your Guide to Natural Hormone Treatents for PMS, Menopause, Osteoporosis, PCOS, and More
Irregular Menstrual Cycles for Women – 6 Causes of Spotty Periods
1. Allergy medications can cause skipped periods. “One of the most common skipped-period scenarios results from a popular treatment for allergic reactions,” writes Dr Rebecca Booth in The Venus Week: Discover the Powerful Secret of Your Cycle…at Any Age
2. Lack of progesterone can cause irregular periods – but so can too much! Progesterone deficiency supposedly causes PMS, chronic fatigue, breast pain, low libido, etc – but it’s not always the case! That is, low progesterone may not cause those health problems for women. “While low-dose supplementation of progesterone in the appropriate part of the cycle is safe, the challenge is not to overdo it,” says Dr Booth. Too much progesterone can cause irregular or no periods.
3. Environmental toxins can imbalance women’s hormones. Environmental endocrine disruptors can disrupt your hormone balance, which disrupts your period. To regulate your periods, minimize your exposure to heavy metals (for instance, only eat tuna once a week – and avoid it altogether if you’re pregnant or trying to conceive a baby). For more info, read how to increase fertility levels by avoiding certain toxins.
4. Smoking can cause irregular menstrual cycles. If you smoke cigarettes, be warned that it hastens menopause and weakens your menstrual cycle! Cigarette toxins affect your ovaries and circulatory system, and secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and some cancers. Women who smoke enter menopause two years earlier than those who don’t smoke. To regulate your period, quit smoking.
5. Drinking alcohol affects ovulation and fertility levels. Another cause of irregular periods is drinking more than five alcoholic drinks a week; it reduces ovulation and female fertility levels (for more info, read Reasons for Female Infertility). Polyphenols in red wine may have health benefits – but small amounts are best. “If you want to get pregnant, it’s best to leave alcohol out of your diet altogether,” writes Dr Booth.
6. Low body fat or low weight disrupts women’s hormones. If your body fat is below 15% of your body weight or blood leptin levels are below normal, then you’ll lose the hormones that contribute to regular periods. Losing those hormones also leads to hair loss, dry skin, bone loss, and other health problems. To regulate your period, find and stay at your healthy weight. And, make sure you eat foods that make your period regular.
If your period was always regular but has recently become irregular, you need to talk to your doctor. Many other health factors can affect menstrual cycles, such as fibroids, cysts, polyps, etc. The only way to find out what’s going on is to visit your physician in person.
To learn more about menstruation, read 6 Facts About Your Period.
~ Resources for Getting Pregnant & Fertility ~
If you're trying to conceive a baby, learn about getting pregnant easily and naturally.
Are you or your partner coping with low fertility levels? Try FertilAid for Women or FertilAid for Men.
And don't forget about vitamins and minerals, which are essential to a healthy pregnancy! Make sure you're taking the right Pregnancy Plus Prenatal Vitamins.
Hey,
I kinda need your help!
Okay so the last three months my period has been a little weird. I’m fourteen so I’d understand why me period wouldn’t be regular yet.
But in October my period was on the 20th.
In November it was on the 21st.
In December it was on the 22nd.
So it’s January now, will my period be on the 23rd?
I wa just noticing because I’m seeing a pattern.
Please help, thank you!
Hi Maddi,
It sounds like your periods aren’t quite “irregular” yet…those dates are pretty close to being right on! That said, I don’t know if your next period will be on the 23rd — I think many women’s periods jump around a little. Some are exactly spot on (28 days, or 21 days, etc)…but others range a bit more.
I think you need to go with the flow, as it were
Your periods sound pretty regular to me, and I don’t think you need to worry if they’re a day or so apart every month. It sure is nice to have them predictable, but they probably won’t be….and it’s best just to accept that you won’t get your period at the same time every month.
I hope this helps a little….
Laurie
Hi, could you help me?
I’m 13 and got my period 2 years ago. It’s never been regular and some months i skip my period all together. I don’t drink/smoke and i don’t understand why it’s not regular. The last time i got my period was on January 2 and it hasn’t come yet.
Please help,
Marie
SO I HAVE BEEN HAVING IRREGULAR PERIODS FOR THE PAST YEAR BUT SINCE I HAD MY IUD REMOVED. BUT NOW FOR THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF I HAVE BEEN BLEEDING VERY HEAVLY AND IT WONT STOP I EVEN GET BLOOD CLOTS.. WHAT COULD IT BE? PLEASE HELP ME
Hi Marie and Leena,
Believe it or not, I have the same suggestion for both of you — even though you have the exact opposite problem with your periods!
It’s not very creative advice, but I can’t give medical information to you….so all I can say is make an appointment with your family doctor or a even a gynecologist.
Marie, it’s totally normal to skip periods sometimes, but you’ve missed two in a row. That’s not so normal. If you’re not pregnant, then you may be exercising too much?? I don’t know — that’s why you need to talk to a doctor about your period. Or, talk to your mom or a female health teacher — someone you trust.
Leena, make sure you’re getting lots of iron! If your period is this heavy, you’re probably losing a ton of iron. Eat foods high in iron, and consider taking an iron supplement. And, go see your doctor — something may have gone wrong with the IUD removal.
I hope you both start getting regular periods soon!
Best wishes,
Laurie
I have always been regular, Including in December. I was due to start the week of the Haiti earthquake Jan 12th.
I had all the pms symptoms, but the day of the earthquake I was so frightened because i have friends there, that I was not able to hear from. I worried about them for 2 weeks or so.
I was 1 week late. so I drank Parsley tea because I heard it can get things started. which is did. but I am wondering if forcing it to start with the tea messed up my cycle because a week and 1/2 ago, i started spotting brown, sometimes red. then back to brown. more than ever in the past. the last couple days it seems like it wants to start but it goes away. then comes back later on.
Is there anything I can do to regulate this? I am thinking the worry about my friends caused my hormones to go unbalanced. I would like to get things started but I do not want to try and force it this month if it’s the parsley tea that messed things up.
Hi Kelly,
I agree with you, that worrying about your friends can unbalance your hormones and cause your period to be late or spotty. I don’t know how much of an effect Parsley tea would have — it depends on how much you drank, how strong it was, and what other medications (if any) you’re taking. Herbal remedies can be surprisingly potent, and they can react badly with prescription medications, which is why it’s important to talk to a certified naturopath before taking herbal treatments for anything.
For many women, an effective way to regulate your periods is to eat foods that are known to balance hormones. Here are a couple articles that offer natural, harmless ways to regulate you period:
5 Foods That Make Your Menstrual Cycle Regular
8 Natural Ways to Regulate Your Period
If you try some of these tips and they don’t work after a month, I encourage you to talk to your doctor in person — or a naturopathic doctor. Every woman is different, with different health issues and lifestyles…and the best thing to do is get information that’s specific to you from a certified health practitioner.
I hope those articles help, and that your menstrual cycle regulates itself soon!
Laurie
I’m almost 19 and my periods have never been regular. I have anemia and sometimes my periods will skip 2-3 months or just be a few weeks late and start up in the first few days of the following month. What could be causing this and what is a safe way to regulating my periods? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hi, I also was late for my period a few days, and have taken the Parsley tea which does work. I am wondering if my period will be regualar next month? I don’t know why my period was late this month, but I did get a blood and urine test and both came back negative. I think maybe the stress of thinking I was pregnant could have made me late, but ever since I found out I wasn’t I have been more relaxed ofcourse not completely because I was waiting for my period. I just want to know if I will be getting my period every month now without forcing it. I drank three cups of Parsley tea, it had 2 teaspoons of Parsley flakes, and I wasn’t taking any medications, and still am not. Can you help me?
I am 14 and i just got my period april 12 2009. after that i got it july 26 and then after that i got it november 10. and i have not gotten it since. is that normal
Hi J — you’ve answered your own question! If you’re anemic, then you don’t have enough iron in your body to support regular periods. To make your period regular, you need to figure out the cause of the anemia (low body weight? blood loss from another health issue?), and treat that. And, you need to take iron pills or eat iron-rich foods to boost your iron levels. Both these suggestions require a visit to the doctor, I think. Some pharmacies won’t sell iron pills without a doctor’s prescription (depending on where you live). So, get thee to a doctor and get your anemia treated….
Hi Charm — I think you asked the same question above, as Kelly. I answered you on Feb 18!
Hi Pat — Well, it’s hard to say if your irregular menstrual cycles are normal or not because I know nothing about your body or lifestyle! Your best bet is to talk to a doctor in person, or even your school nurse. But, I do know that when girls first start getting their periods, their cycles are VERY irregular. Your periods are a few months apart, which is certainly irregular….but not necessarily something to be worried about. If I were you, I’d run it by my doctor or school nurse — or even my mom (because menstrual cycle irregularities can run in families). Don’t panic about it, because it could be totally normal. But, don’t ignore it, either.
Blessings to all!
Laurie
i have not been getting my period for over five months now , the last time i had it was october
what can i do to help get my period again? does having to eat too many chocolates in one day have to do with anything ? or eatingg a big breakfast then skipping lunch because you are not hungry have to do with not getting my period?
i am not getting periods. last time i had on 1 jan 2010 . n it is march now. m little worried . how can i get . help me out please
Dear Anjali,
If you haven’t had a period for two months, then you might consider taking a pregancy test! If there’s no way you could be pregnant, then you need to make an appointment with your family doctor. I don’t know why your period hasn’t come, but a doctor can do some tests and blood work, and figure out if you have hormone or other problems….
I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful — you really need to talk to your doctor. An irregular menstrual cycle or spotty period could be due to prescription medications, stress, hormones, pregnancy….and a doctor will help you figure it out…
Blessings,
Laurie
My periods are regular. but inbetween the periods, exactly on 11th/12th day light spotting starts in brown color and existes for 5 days and then stops… without taking these days in acount, my regular periods fall every 30 days gap in betweeen. why is this happening. please help me.
I’m 20 years old and I haven’t had my period in several months, I believe the last one was in December. I have always been irregular but for a while it seemed like they were coming regularly. Then 2 weeks ago I started having a brownish discharge and now I’m just spotting a little bit, the thing that concerns me is ever since I started spotting my stomach has been cramping, its in the area above my belly button. I took a pregnancy test and it was negative. I don’t have the money for a doctor visit and I’m really scared something is wrong with me. Has anyone had a similar experience and some advice?
Hi Sanju ~ to get help with your irregular periods, you really need to talk to a doctor directly. There could be many reasons for your spotting and brown color, and I can’t guess as to what they might be. Your family physician or even a gynecologist needs to help you weith that.
Hi Stephanie ~ are there any free clinics for women in your area? Some places offer checkups at no charge, but it depends where you live. I suggest calling your local women’s help line for information on free or low-cost physician visits. Asking for advice online like this can be detrimental for your health, because if you don’t know why your periods have stopped, then you could take someone’s advice here — and it could make the problem worse.
Seeing a doctor in person really is the most important thing you can do to get your menstrual cycle regular again! And, the old standard health advice always applies: get regular exercise (but don’t exercise excessively), eat a healthy diet, get the sleep your body needs, and deal with stress in healthy ways. And, if you’re taking prescription medication, find out if it affects your hormones (which affects your menstrual cycles!).
Blessings,
Laurie